Why Developer Track Record Matters More Than Location
A poorly-executed layout in a good location is worse than a well-executed layout in a slightly less prime location. Developer track record tells you: will the infrastructure be completed? Will the documentation be clean? Will the project match the brochure?
The Five Questions to Ask Any Developer
**1. How many layouts have you completed and delivered?** Ask for a list of past completed projects with addresses. Visit one or two of them. Does the reality match what the developer promised at the time of sale? Are roads maintained? Is the layout occupied and developed?
**2. Are you RERA registered?** TNRERA registration means the developer is regulated, provides financial transparency (dedicated project account), and gives you a recourse mechanism. Non-RERA developers are not necessarily fraudulent, but they operate with less oversight.
**3. Can you show original DTCP/CMDA approval?** An original sanction order (not just a photocopy) that you can independently verify. Legitimate developers have no problem with this request.
**4. Can I speak with two or three past buyers?** References exist in every genuine developer's history. If the developer can't or won't provide references — or the references seem scripted — that's a red flag.
**5. What happens to infrastructure if plots don't sell quickly?** Understanding a developer's financial durability matters. A developer who funds infrastructure development only from plot sales (cash-flow dependent) may delay road paving or lighting if sales are slow.
Checking TNRERA Compliance
Visit tnrera.tn.gov.in → Search Projects → Enter developer name or project name. You'll see: registration status, promoter details, project status, and any consumer complaints filed.
A developer with 3+ unresolved TNRERA complaints is a flag. A developer with zero RERA complaints and multiple completed projects is a reasonable foundation of trust.
The "Too Good to Be True" Test
If a developer offers: price 30% below market, delivery in 3 months, no documentation required, no lawyer visits needed — apply extreme skepticism. Legitimate property transactions take time for documentation. Shortcuts exist only where something is being hidden.
PlotSales' Developer Vetting
We represent developers we've verified through: DTCP approval number checks, RERA registration verification, site visits to at least one completed project, and background checks through public records. We walk buyers through all documentation before any advance is paid.